Illumination module of light emitting elements

ABSTRACT

An illumination module of light emitting elements is provided. The present illumination module includes a printed circuit board having a one-dimensional array of light emitting elements arranged thereon and a reflecting layer on the surface of the printed circuit board with the light emitting elements arranged thereon. The reflecting layer provides reflecting means for the light emitting elements, improving utilization of the light emitting from the light emitting elements, and thus increasing the luminance of the illumination module of light emitting elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an illumination module of lightemitting elements, and more particularly to an illumination module oflight emitting elements utilized in a backlight system.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In recent years, so-called liquid crystal display devices using liquidcrystal panels have been widely used as display devices, which serve asmonitors for image reproducing apparatus or various informationterminals.

In general, such a liquid crystal display device uses a passive matrixtype of liquid crystal panel or an active matrix type of liquid crystalpanel using non-linear devices. These types of liquid crystal panel arenot of the self light emitting type, and so they require an illuminationlight source to form a visible image formed on the liquid crystal panel.Liquid crystal panels are divided into a transmission type and areflection type. In monitors for information terminals, the transmissiontype of liquid crystal panel is widely used for the purpose ofhigh-luminance and high-contrast display, and for this purpose abacklighting illumination light source (hereinafter referred to as abacklight) is installed on the back of the liquid crystal panel, and avisible image is formed by modulating light from this backlight to forman image on the liquid crystal panel.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of aconventional liquid crystal display device provided with a transmissiontype of liquid crystal panel and a backlighting illumination device,i.e. a so-called backlight, associated with an illumination source oflight emitting diodes. The conventional liquid crystal device has abacklight stacked on the back of the transmission type of liquid crystalpanel, and is constructed to modulate, with an image formed on theliquid crystal panel, illumination light which is emitted from thebacklight and which passes through the liquid crystal panel. Themodulated illumination light is caused to exit toward the observer sideof the liquid crystal panel, thereby making the image visible.

Specifically, this kind of liquid crystal display device is constructedin the following manner, as seen in FIG. 1. In a liquid crystal panel 1,a liquid crystal layer is clamped between two transparent substrates 1Aand 1B, and polarizers 1C are respectively provided on the observingsurface side and the back-surface side of the liquid crystal panel 1. Abacklight module 3 is provided, which includes an approximatelyrectangular transparent light guide 2 and a light source 3A formed of anillumination module of light emitting diodes installed along alight-incident surface of the light guide 2. This backlight module 3 isprovided on the back surface of the liquid crystal panel 1. Light fromthe backlight module 3 is deflected toward the liquid crystal panel 1 atan intermediate position, while being propagating in the light guide 2,and illuminates the liquid crystal panel 1 from the back surfacethereof. A light scattering area 10 formed by dot printing or the likeis provided on the back surface of the light guide 2.

Furthermore, a reflector 4 for totally reflecting light which hasexisted from the light guide 2 on the back-surface side thereof and forreturning the light to the liquid crystal panel 1 is installed on theback side of the light guide 2. Such a backlight 3 is stacked on theliquid crystal panel 1 with a light quantity distribution correctionmember such as a scattering film 12 or a prism plate (not shown), beinginterposed therebetween, whereby a transmission type of liquid crystaldisplay device is constructed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the illumination module 3A of thelight emitting diodes, which includes a printed circuit board 30, aone-dimensional array of light emitting diodes 31 and a plurality ofresistors 32. The light emitting diodes 31 and resistors 32 areinter-disposed on the surface of the printed circuit board 30 toward thelight-incident surface of the light guide 2. However, when the lightemitting from the light emitting diodes 3A projects upon thelight-incident surface of the light guide 2, part of the light isreflected back and absorbed by the printed circuit board 30 and theresistors 32 disposed thereon, which results in the loss of lightenergy. The light emitting from the illumination module 3A of the lightemitting diodes 31 can not be effectively utilized, and adverselyinfluencing the brightness and uniformity of the luminance of thebacklight 3, and thus the liquid crystal display device.

Accordingly, it is an intention to provide an improved illuminationmodule, which can alleviate the drawback of the conventional one.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one objective of the present invention to provide an illuminationmodule of light emitting elements, which can increase utilization of thelight emitting from the light emitting elements and therefore improvingthe luminance of the illumination module.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide anillumination module of light emitting elements, which can be used in abacklight system and improving the brightness and uniformity ofluminance of the backlight system.

In order to achieve the above objectives of this invention, the presentinvention provides an illumination module of light emitting elements,including a printed circuit board having a one-dimensional array oflight emitting elements arranged thereon, and a reflecting layer on thesurface of the printed circuit board having the light emitting elements.The reflecting layer provides reflecting means for the light emittingelements. When the illumination module of light emitting elements of thepresent invention is used as a lateral light source of a backlightsystem, the light emitting from the light emitting elements projectsupon a light-incident surface of a light guide of the backlight system,and part of the light reflected back by the light-incident surface ofthe light guide would impinge upon the reflecting layer on the printedcircuit board and reflected back again to enter the light guide throughthe light-incident surface thereof. The utilization of the lightemitting from the illumination module of the light emitting elements isimproved. The brightness and uniformity of the luminance of thebacklight system are also improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objectives and features of the present invention as well asadvantages thereof will become apparent from the following detaileddescription, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional liquid crystaldisplay device provided with a transmission type of liquid crystal paneland a backlighting illumination device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an illumination module of lightemitting diodes utilized in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a schematic side view of an illumination module of lightemitting elements according to a first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a schematic side view of an illumination module of lightemitting elements according to a second preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded view of a backlight system associatedwith the illumination module of FIG. 3B.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides an illumination module of light emittingelements, which applies a reflecting layer on a printed circuit boardhaving the light emitting elements arranged thereon. When part of lightemitting from the light emitting elements is reflected back by alight-receiving surface and impinging upon the reflecting layer of theprinted circuit board, the light would be reflected back again toproject upon the light-receiving surface. As a consequence, theutilization of the light of the present illumination module can beimproved.

The present illumination module of light emitting elements will bedescribed in detail in accordance with preferred embodiments of thepresent invention with reference to accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3A is a schematic side view of the present illumination module 40of light emitting elements according to a first preferred embodiment ofthe present invention. The illumination module 40 of light emittingelements includes a printed circuit board 41 having a plurality ofresistors 42 disposed thereon, a one-dimensional array of light emittingelements 43 and a reflecting layer 44. The light emitting elements 43and resistors 42 are inter-disposed on the same surface of the printedcircuit board 41. The reflecting layer 44 is applied on the surface ofthe printed circuit board 41 having the light emitting elements 43arranged thereon to provide reflecting means for them. Some electronicelements are also disposed on the surface of the printed circuit board41 having the light emitting elements 43 arranged thereon and under thereflecting layer 44. The reflecting layer 44 can be provided on theprinted circuit board 41 by a known technique, such as coating,sputtering and printing, or directly adhering on the surface of theprinted circuit board 41. The reflecting layer 44 can be flexible orconductive, whose material can be selected from a group consisting of ahigh-gloss white paint, aluminum, copper, nickel, gold or another suchmetal.

FIG. 3B is a schematic side view of the present illumination module 50of light emitting elements according to a second preferred embodiment ofthe present invention. The illumination module 50 of light emittingelements includes a printed circuit board 51 having a plurality ofresistors 52 disposed thereon, a one-dimensional array of light emittingelements 53 and a reflecting layer 54. The one-dimensional array oflight emitting elements 53 are arranged on a surface of the printedcircuit board 51 opposite to the surface thereof having the resistors 52disposed thereon. Some electronic elements are also disposed on thesurface of the printed circuit board 51 having the light emittingelements 53 arranged thereon. The reflecting layer 54 is applied on thesurface of the printed circuit board 51 having the light emittingelements 53 arranged thereon to provide reflecting means for them. Thereflecting layer 54 can be provided on the printed circuit board 51 by aknown technique, such as coating, sputtering and printing, or directlyadhering on the surface of the printed circuit board 51. The reflectinglayer 54 can be flexible or conductive, whose material can be selectedfrom a group consisting of a high-gloss white paint, aluminum, copper,nickel, gold or another such metal. When the reflecting layer 54 isconductive, the resistors 52 are disposed on the surface of the printedcircuit board 51 opposite to the reflecting layer 54, which further canavoid short circuit happen between the resistors 52 and the reflectinglayer 54.

The present illumination module of light emitting elements can be usedas a light source of a backlight system. FIG. 4 is a schematic explodedview of a backlight system 5 associated with the present illuminationmodule 50, which includes a reflecting sheet 524, a light guide 520, aprism sheet 55 and a diffusing sheet 56 stacked in sequence. The lightguide 520 has a rectangular body and at least a light-incident surface521, a backside 522 and a light-existing surface 523. The illuminationmodule 50 of light emitting elements is disposed beside thelight-incident surface 521 of the light guide 520 for projecting lightthereupon. However, the configuration of the illumination module 50 oflight emitting elements is simplified to avoid that the drawing of FIG.4 too complicated to be discriminated. Therefore, the light emittingelements 53 and resistors 52 are not shown in the drawing. The backside522 of the light guide 520 has a pattern for light scattering formedthereon to direct light propagating in the light guide 520 to emit fromthe light-existing surface 523. The light guide 520 also can be aconfiguration such as wedge-shaped body, trapezoid body and symmetricaldouble-wedge shaped body. Alternately, the illumination module 40 oflight emitting elements can instead of the illumination module 50 oflight emitting elements used in the backlight system 5. The reflectingsheet 524 placed below the light guide 520 is used for reflecting thelight penetrating through the backside 522 of the light guide 520 returnto the light guide 520. The prism sheet 55 placed above the light guide520 has a prism surface toward the light-exist surface 523 of the lightguide 520, which is used to converge the luminance of the light guide520 within the range of the view angle thereof to increase thebrightness. The diffusing sheet 56 is disposed above the prism sheet 55for improving the uniformity of the luminance of the light guide 520.The positions of the prism sheet 55 and the diffusing sheet 56 can beinterchanged. And, a liquid crystal panel 57 can be placed above thewhole backlight system to form a liquid crystal display. When the lightemitting from the illumination module 50 of light emitting elementsprojects upon the light-incident surface 521 of the light guide 520,part of the light reflected from the light-incident surface 521 of thelight guide 520 impinges upon the reflecting layer 54 on the printedcircuit board 51, and would be reflected back to the light-incidentsurface 521 of the light guide 520. Therefore, the utilization of theillumination module 50 of light emitting elements is improved, andincreasing the brightness and uniformity of the luminance of thebacklight system 5.

The present illumination module of light emitting elements does notincrease the complexity itself than the conventional one, and it iseasily manufactured and achieved. When the present illumination moduleof light emitting elements is used as a light source of the backlightsystem, it can improve the brightness and uniformity of the luminance ofthe backlight system, and does not significantly increase themanufacturing cost. The present illumination module of light emittingelements provides economic values.

The embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, notintended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of theembodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. An apparatus, comprising: a printed circuit board;means for emitting light disposed on said printed circuit board; meansfor reflecting light from of said means for emitting light; and meansfor resisting electrical current disposed on said printed circuit boardunder said means for reflecting light.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18,wherein said means for emitting light is disposed on said printedcircuit board in a one-dimensional array.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18,wherein said means for reflecting light comprises a flexible material.21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for reflecting lightcomprises paint.
 22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means forreflecting light comprises one or more of the following materials:high-gloss white paint, aluminum, copper, nickel, gold or titaniumoxide, or combinations thereof.
 23. A method, comprising: emitting lightfrom one or more light emitting elements disposed on a printed circuitboard; reflecting light from said one or more light emitting elementsvia a reflecting layer; and resisting electrical current via one or moreresistors disposed on said printed circuit board under said reflectinglayer.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein said one or more lightemitting elements comprise a plurality of light emitting elementsdisposed on said printed circuit board in a one-dimensional array. 25.The method of claim 23, wherein said reflecting layer comprises aflexible material.
 26. The method of claim 23, wherein said reflectinglayer comprises paint.
 27. The method of claim 23, wherein saidreflecting layer comprises one or more of the following materials:high-gloss white paint, aluminum, copper, nickel, gold or titaniumoxide, or combinations thereof.
 28. A system, comprising: anillumination module, comprising: a printed circuit board, one or morelight emitting elements disposed on said printed circuit board, areflecting layer capable of reflecting light from said one or more lightemitting elements, and one or more resistors disposed on said printedcircuit board under said reflecting layer; a light guide disposed besidethe illumination module, the light guide capable receiving light fromthe illumination module; and a liquid crystal panel disposed beside thelight guide.
 29. The system of claim 28, said one or more light emittingelements comprise a plurality of light emitting elements disposed onsaid printed circuit board in a one-dimensional array.
 30. The system ofclaim 28, wherein said reflecting layer comprises a flexible material.31. The system of claim 28, wherein said reflecting layer comprisespaint.
 32. The system of claim 28, wherein said reflecting layercomprises one or more of the following materials: high-gloss whitepaint, aluminum, copper, nickel, gold or titanium oxide, or combinationsthereof.
 33. The system of claim 28, wherein the light guide comprisesbackside, a light-existing surface, and a light-incident surfacedisposed beside the illumination module.
 34. The system of claim 33,wherein the backside comprises a pattern formed thereon capable ofscattering light to emit from the light-existing surface.
 35. The systemof claim 28, further comprising a reflective sheet positioned on a sideof the light guide opposite the liquid crystal panel.
 36. The system ofclaim 28, further comprising a prism sheet positioned between the lightguide and the liquid crystal panel.
 37. The system of claim 28, furthercomprising a diffusion sheet positioned between the light guide and theliquid crystal panel.